Europe Approval of ICE-NYSE Deal Likely

By Teresa Rivas

IntercontinentalExchange’s (ICE) $10 billion acquisition of NYSE Euronext (NYX) is likely to receive the European Union’s blessing, according to anonymous sources.

The EU looks poised to give the deal approval without conditions, TheWall Street Journal’ssources said late Monday, as the deadline for antitrust concerns to be brought before regulators has passed and there is little overlap between the two exchanges’ businesses.

As the U.S. Federal Trade Commission and Justice Department cleared the combination earlier this year, the EU’s endorsement was one of the few remaining obstacles.

Officially, regulators have one more week before deciding whether or not to launch a major review of the deal. The companies hope to complete the takeover before the end of the year.

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